Governor Greg Abbott Tuesday issued an Executive Order prohibiting state agencies or political subdivisions in Texas from creating a "vaccine passport" requirement, or otherwise conditioning receipt of services on an individual’s COVID-19 vaccination status.
The order also prohibits organizations receiving public funds from requiring consumers to provide documentation of vaccine status in order to receive any service or enter any place.
"Everyday, Texans are returning to normal life as more people get the safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine,” said Governor Abbott. “But, as I've said all along, these vaccines are always voluntary and never forced."
"Government should not require any Texan to show proof of vaccination and reveal private health information just to go about their daily lives. That is why I have issued an Executive Order that prohibits governmentmandated vaccine passports in Texas. We will continue to vaccinate more Texans and protect public health — and we will do so without treading on Texans' personal freedoms."
In a recent interview infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci said that the federal government won’t be mandating vaccine passports for travel and businesses. The White House has indicated that any potential passports would come from the private sector, with little direct involvement from the government.
The idea of vaccine passports have become controversial, as local government and businesses consider whether to require them. They’ve also become a partisan issue, with Republicans across the country denouncing them as government overreach and an invasion of privacy.